20D or 30D

[SanctuS]

Okay, graduation is coming up and I want to get my first DSLR. I have canon lenses and am happy with the brand. I have been trying to decide between the Canon 20D and the 30D. Are there any big differences that would effect the quality or ease of use of the camera.

Adorama has the 30D for $640 refurbished-body only, and I see on ebay that Canon 20D's are selling for a max of $500...

Opinions?

 

[Garbz]

Differences between them aren't great. Just know that the 20Ds are older and cameras have a limited shutter life before they need a large service.

If you can afford it I would recommend the 30D over the 20D.

 

[uplander]

I would go with the 30D if you can afford to spend a little extra. Like Garbz said , you would want to know how many shutter actuations these used cameras have.

 

[Edward Crim]

The 30D is better for other reasons as well. It does not create a new folder for the photos every one hundred images (as the 10D and 20D do - very annoying), it has a larger screen on the back of the camera (all the better to see you with, my dear), two continuous shooting speeds (5fps & 3fps vs just 5fps for the 20D) 1/3 stop increments on ISO settings and a buffer large enough for 11 RAW files (vs only 6 on the 20D). Since you will want to shoot RAW (yes, you do), the larger buffer alone is a good reason to prefer the 30D. The 30D also has a spot metering mode. Oh, and 3 is a cooler number than 2!

 

[Antithesis]

I think it's a matter of how much you have to spend. I don't think that the upgrades on the 30D are big enough to necessitate 30-50% price difference. If you can find one that you know has lower shutter actuations, it might be wise to save your money.

You might want to look at KEH.com, they have them in 'EX' condition for about $500 and they have a no-questions-asked return policy. If you get one that looks pretty beat up, just send it back. Their rating system is very customer friendly from my experience though.